We reduce our energy usage and make what we do use cleaner.
- Our 205 solar panels on the Mereside cafe roof generate around 62,500 kWh of clean electricity each year - enough to power 22 UK homes annually. The panels generate around 15% of the site's energy use and in the summer, the restaurant block generates more electricity than it consumes.
- Across the site, we've reduced our electricity use by 52%. We've done this by being mindful of our electricity use, along with solar panels, installing infrared heating, heat pumps, LED lighting and more.
We're taking action to eliminate waste and send nothing to landfill by 2030 at WWT. We are already zero waste to landfill at Martin Mere but we also aim to reduce, reuse, recycle and compost waste.
- We're talking action on single-use plastic. The Mereside café has refill options and only sells drinks in recyclable cans, cartons, and glass bottles. Across our sites, we've cut out 54,000 single use plastic bottles from all our cafes every year since 2018.
- Our priority is to eliminate waste first. However, none of our waste went to landfill, with 59% of our waste recycled, putting us higher than the latest England recycling rate of 44.6%.
- When you're on site, you'll see that many of our benches, bins and some of our boardwalks are made from recycled plastic. This makes sure they are lower maintenance, last longer, and encourages others to opt for recycled plastics too.
We harness the power of wetlands to save water and energy on our sites.
- Reedbeds and certain wetland plants are champions at filtering and cleaning water - these are the stars of our wetland treatment system which cleans the water from our Duckery, meaning we don't have to pump water offsite for treatment.
- Wetlands are amazing at preventing flooding. Our car park stays flood-free thanks to its Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDs), which are natural features that allow water to flow slowly back into the ground, and creating a habitat for wildlife at the same time.
- Many of our taps and toilets are water-saving, with rainwater used for flushing toilets.
- All the cleaning products that we use onsite are environmentally friendly, reducing the impact on the water environment.
Nature-bursting wetlands: it's all in the design.
- Our two main centres buildings have green roofs which create a habitat for wildlife, slow down rainwater run-off and provide a thick layer of insulation to the building below.
- You might see our Longhorn Cattle grazing the reserve. They graze in the areas that are difficult to reach with machinery - not just a gentle form of land management, but reduces noise disturbance and our use of fossil fuels.
When you eat with us, you're helping us to champion local, seasonal, and sustainable produce.
- We balance a range of plant-based options and a small number of good-quality meat dishes in the Mereside café.
- Our menus include local and seasonal produce to minimise our supply chain impacts, and our meat, fish, and eggs are sustainably sourced.
- We're helping save you money by making sustainable choices. We provide dairy-free alternatives to cow's milk at no extra cost, and you can enjoy a discount on your hot drink when you use a reusable cup in the café.
We put local and sustainable produce at the heart of our shop.
- When you browse in our shop, you'll find a wide range of high-quality, sustainable products perfect for education and wildlife-friendly living, with no single-use plastic items. We do however sell products made from 100% recycled plastic including our stuffed toy range.
- Local suppliers take centre stage with products like local honey, fudge, gin and ceramics. (Local is defined as within 2 counties of the centre)
There's ways to travel to us with the planet in mind.
- We have bike racks at the site and provide bike pumps and bicycle repair kits if you need them.
- WWT Martin Mere is on several cycle routes including National Cycle Route 562. You can find out more about how to get to us sustainably on our Directions page.
- When you visit, you can help us reach our sustainability goals by travelling as sustainably as you can: by bike, coach, bus, or car sharing.
